Maynard V. Olson, Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences

Research Program:

Dr. Olson's research involves large-scale genome analysis, with emphases both on technology development
and applications. In technology development, the major focus is on integrating the increasingly diverse
repertoire of DNA-sequencing methods with the goal of efficiently obtaining accurate, finished sequences
of genomes and genome segments. Determination of accurate, finished sequences will continue to play an
important role, particularly in genetic studies, since investigators must frequently detect a single,
functionally important change within millions of base pairs, sampled from a genetic background that may
differ substantially from available reference sequences. Hence, part of the challenge when searching for
mutations in real-world settings lies in identifying and analyzing reference sequences that are well
matched to the genetic backgrounds on which the mutations occurred. Typical applications to human genetics
involve searching within candidate regions, established by linkage analysis, for causal mutations in
pedigrees segregating dominant mutations that cause Mendelian genetic diseases. Dr. Olson is also involved
in applying these methods to pathogens, particularly to bacteria that chronically infect individual humans
or cause epidemics in human populations.

Investigator: Dr. Olson is a Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences at the University of Washington.
He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.